People like to do things a little differently in the mountains, which explains why Rabbi Mendel Mintz hired ice sculptor Paul Wertin to carve an ice menorah three years ago.
Wertin works with Scott Rella of Aspen Vail Ice, an award-winning ice- sculpting concern responsible for “Verdant Meadows,” made for Vail’s Triumph Winterfest debut in 2008, “Conduit” at the 2009 Triumph festival and elegant ice constructions for private parties.
“I thought it was a great idea,” Wertin said.
“It’s different, that’s for sure.”
This year, Wertin is sculpting another ice menorah for Mintz’s Aspen chabad. He’s also making two more for Mintz’s brother, Dovid, who leads a chabad based in Vail.
One of the ice menorahs will stand atop a 4-foot-high ice pedestal in front of Lions head. Wertin is carving the other one in a public demonstration today in nearby Edwards.
Wertin’s ice menorahs are lit by self- contained LED lights that resemble tea- light candles. Real candles, he points out, don’t stand a chance against the mountain wind.
“It’s more and more common to use LED lights in ice sculpture,” Wertin said.
“It’s a great lighting medium. Very useful. We can put the light right under the ice, and the ice won’t melt.”
